Overview
- The CCP Central Committee authorized investigations into the CMC vice chair and the Joint Staff chief for “serious violations of discipline and law,” the Ministry of National Defense said.
- In official usage, that phrasing typically signals suspected corruption and initiates party disciplinary and legal procedures.
- The PLA’s newspaper said the actions show “zero tolerance,” “no forbidden zones,” and comprehensive enforcement in the anti‑corruption drive.
- The Wall Street Journal, citing unnamed sources from a closed briefing, reported allegations that Zhang took large bribes, built influence networks, helped advance Li Shangfu, and passed key nuclear‑weapons data to the United States.
- WSJ also tied some purported evidence to former CNNC head Gu Jun, who faces a separate probe, while Chinese authorities have not presented public proof supporting the espionage claims.